Portsmouth police identify man they say robbed jewelry store twice

PORTSMOUTH – A man suspected in two "smash-and-grab" burglaries of a downtown jewelry store is under arrest in Massachusetts where police say he made off with about $500,000 in jewelry in similar burglaries in Andover, Beverly, Peabody and Swampscott.

James J. Radler, 51, whom police called a "one-man crime spree" was arrested at the Knights Inn in Danvers, Mass., over the weekend, according to the Salem (Mass.) News. He is being held on $750,000 cash bail, suspected of stealing $460,000 in jewelry.

Portsmouth police are obtaining warrants for his arrest for burglarizing Chrisrial & Co. Fine Jewelry, 28 Deer St., on Feb. 7 and again on Feb. 22.

Radler is a suspect in 15 jewelry store burglaries over the past nine months in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the Salem News reported.

In February, police said Radler threw a dumbbell through the front glass door of Chrisrial & Co. and then stole more than $20,000 in merchandise. Fifteen days later, he allegedly did it again, only that time he used a sledgehammer to break the glass.

According to the Salem News, DNA from blood found at one of the Massachusetts jewelry stores led police to Radler.